1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dust collector with a remote controller and connected via a hose to a dust discharge port of a hand-held power tool for performing cutting, grinding, shaving, or the like of a workpiece.
2. Background Art
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a description will be given of the conventional art. As a dust collector which is combined with a held-heldpower tool for effecting the cutting, grinding, shaving, or the like of a workpiece 12 to effect the collection and conveyance of dust discharged from the power tool, there are two kinds of systems if largely classified.
In the first system, in a state in which a cutting operation of the workpiece 12 is being effected in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 9, a hose 7 extending from a dust collector 4′, which incorporates a motor and a dust collection fan (neither are shown), and a dust collection tank 3, is connected to a sawdust discharging port 6 of a circular saw 5 which is one of hand-held power tools. Respective power cords 8 are connected to a main power source. Hence, the circular saw 5 and the dust collector 4′ are respectively provided with starting/stopping switches. First, the unillustrated starting/stopping switch of the dust collector 4′ is turned on, and a suction force is generated within the hose 7 by means of the motor and the dust collection fan. Then, an operator moves to the place where the circular saw 5, which is one of power tools, is located, and turns on the starting/stopping switch to set the circular saw 5 in a state of being capable of effecting the cutting operation. Then, if the circular saw 5 is directed in the direction of the arrow, and the cutting operation of the workpiece 12 is started, sawdust produced by cutting is conveyed and collected into the interior of the dust collector 4′ through the hose 7 from the sawdust discharging port 6 of the circular saw 5 by the suction force. Upon completion of the cutting operation, the starting/stopping switch of the circular saw 5 is turned off, and the operator moves and turns off the starting/stopping switch of the dust collector 4′. Although the length of the hose 7 differs depending on the details of the operation, the length is generally 5 m to 10 m in most cases. Accordingly, according to the above-described operation, the operator moves back and forth over the distance of 5 m to 10 m at maximum on each occasion of the start and end of the operation. Alternatively, only the starting/stopping switch of the circular saw 5 maybe turned off after completion of the cutting operation. However, the continuous operation of the dust collector presents a problem in terms of problems concerning noise and problems in the working environment. In addition, the continuous operation of the dust collector is not preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving.
The second system is the system shown in FIG. 10. The dust collector 4″ has a motor for rotating an unillustrated dust collection fan, a socket outlet 18 for connecting to a power tool, and an interlocking device for starting and stopping the motor by detecting a working current value at the socket outlet 18. The dust collector 4″ is connected to the power cord 8. The arrangement provided is such that if the power cord 8 of the power tool is connected to the socket outlet 18, the power source for the power tool and the dust collector 4″ is supplied from a single power cord 8 of the dust collector 4″. If the circular saw 5, which is one of power tools, is started, the motor of the dust collector 4″ rotates by means of the interlocking device. The dust collection fan is rotated by the motor, and the sawdust discharged from the power tool is conveyed and collected into the dust collector 4″ through the hose 7 by the suction force thus generated. In addition, if the circular saw 5, which is one of power tools, is stopped, the motor of the dust collector 4″ stops by means of the interlocking device. Since the power source is supplied from the single power cord 8 of the dust collector 4″, the electric capacity of either the dust collector 4″ or the power tool connected thereto is restricted. In the case of a general dust collector 4″, the motor capacity is 10 A to 12 A or thereabouts in a case where the power source is 100 V in the light of the problem of a required suction force. Accordingly, since the capacities of the power cord 8 and a plug are 15 A at 100 V, the capacity of the power tool which can be connected inevitably becomes 3 A to 5 A. In reality, however, if the power tool is limited to one which can be used for business use, in the case where the power source is 100 V, a power tool having a capacity of 3 A to 5 A is unusable since its power is too small. In the case of power tools which are actually used for business use, most of them have capacities of 7 A to 12 A. Accordingly, the above-described second system has been difficult to use for business use.
As described above, with the above-described first system, the electric capacity of the power tool used is within 15 A and is not restricted. However, the starting/stopping switches of the power tool and the dust collector must be operated on each occasion. Moreover, on each occasion of starting and stopping, the operator must move back and forth at least over the range of the hose 7, i.e., a distance of 5 m to 10 m or thereabouts. Hence, there has been a problem in that the operating efficiency declines remarkably.
On the other hand, with the second system, the power tool and the dust collector are operated by operating the starting/stopping switch of the power tool. However, since the power source is supplied from the single power cord of the dust collector, there has been a problem in that the electric capacity of the power tool which is connected is restricted, so that such a power tool is hardly usable for business use.
An object of the invention is to provide a dust collector of a type combined with a held-held power tool which overcomes the above-described problems, provides excellent operating efficiency, and permits the use of a power tool whose electric capacity is large. Specifically, the object is to make it possible to simply effect the starting and stopping of the power tool and the dust collector without requiring the operator to move from the-place where the power tool is used, to eliminate the restriction of the electric capacity of the power tool-used, and to increase the operating efficiency and make improvements in the working environment.